“We may in the future:” VALORANT dev on adding agent ban system

Riot Games regularly introduces new agents and maps every few acts to offer fresh gameplay styles and strategic diversity. Beyond these additions, the evolving meta in professional play keeps fans engaged, while new content continuously fuels player excitement.

However, as the agent roster expands, VALORANT becomes increasingly challenging for beginners. Even experienced players struggle to counter the ever-growing number of utility combinations, especially with agents like Tejo dominating the meta.

One potential solution to this issue is an agent ban system, which could also make professional play more exciting by eliminating one-trick agent players. During a limited-access press conference, Esports Insider asked John Goscicki, Agent Lead at Riot Games, whether the idea ever crossed their minds. 

Riot does not currently see a need for an agent ban system Goscicki told ESI.

“We feel like right now we’re in a pretty good state and don’t need to worry about the overall agent pool,” he stated.

However, he acknowledged that the expanding roster is what the team is keeping a close eye on, but they have structured ways to keep that growth gradual.

“First is our release schedule, like how many times we release new agents each year. If you look at other character-based games, we don’t release new characters as frequently. Another is that we often take inspiration from existing agents,” Goscicki explained.

Using the newest agent Waylay as an example, he pointed out that her dash ability is inspired by Jett, while some mechanics resemble Raze. This approach helps them maintain balance and prevents new agents from feeling massively overpowering.

That said, John hinted that as the roster continues to grow, Riot may eventually need to ‘pull a different lever,’ making the agent ban system a possibility in the future. For now, however, he believes everything is under Riot’s control.